Currently available infant products include infant pacifiers, pacifier covers and pacifier clips. Pacifiers are most commonly sold with pacifier covers, the purpose of which is to keep pacifier nipples clean and protected from damage when not in use.
Pacifier covers are generally made from firm but somewhat flexible plastic material. Some pacifier covers fully surround the entire pacifier and include closures at one end. Another more common cover design has an open end molded to form fit over the pacifier mouth guard with a light resistance snap fit.
A problem with these existing covers is that they are not tethered in any way to the pacifier. Thus, they must be separated from the pacifier completely while the pacifier is in use. As a result, the covers are frequently lost and easily broken and thus difficult to find when it comes time to re-cover the pacifier. Thus there is reason for improvement in this regard.
The purpose of a pacifier clip is to prevent the pacifier from falling to the floor when the infant takes the pacifier out of his or her mouth. A typical pacifier clip generally consists of a pinch clip glued to the back of a piece of plastic which is large enough in width and length to pass the small parts test for products which may present choking hazards for children. A ribbon connects the pacifier clip to a pacifier, and the pacifier clip is attached to the infant's clothing at a location which will permit the pacifier to reach the infants mouth. In this manner, a pacifier clip prevents loss of the pacifier to which it is attached. Pacifier clips are frequently sold together with pacifiers, although they are also sold as separate items.
While pacifier clips are extremely useful, they serve only to clip the pacifier to the infant and they thus do not provide for the protection of the pacifier nipple during storage. Thus, there is a need for a single product that can achieve the functions of both the clip and the cover.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved pacifier cover that can also be attached to an infant's clothing in the same manner as a pacifier clip, that is easily accessible so that it can be positioned over the nipple for protection during storage of the pacifier, and that may remain detachably connected to any standard pacifier at all times, including during use of the pacifier.
Another object of this invention is to provide a pacifier clip which can serve as a pacifier cover while the pacifier is not is use, and which, during use of the pacifier, can be attached to an infant or its clothing, for the purpose of preventing the pacifier from falling to the floor when the infant takes the pacifier out of its mouth and to prevent loss of the pacifier.
This invention is a single article which includes each of the above functions.